Well, here we are again, a new year. Happy 2025!
Last year I shared a few resolution ideas on Instagram and this year I decided to write a blog post on it. Similarly, this years resolutions are centered around sustainability. Below are five ideas that I think are achievable.
Glass Over Plastic
The goal here is to cut out unnecessary plastic purchases. Wherever there is an alternative, opt for cardboard, glass or aluminum. When you purchase marinara sauce, buy the one in the glass jar, choose apples that don't come prepackaged in plastic, etc. By the way...there's no rule that you have to use the plastic produce bags at the grocery store. You can bring cotton mesh bags or use none at all.
Once you've used the product up, recycle the container, obviously. Because glass, paper and aluminum have a much higher chance of actually getting recycled once you've done your part.
Save the Veggies
This is a 4 part resolution focused on more sustainable eating. The main focuses are: eating less meat, eating in season, making use of your scraps and maintaining an almost empty fridge. Of course, adopting any one of those things on its own is a great start!
First, embrace a vegetarian diet as much as you are comfortable, be it once a week, 2 meals a day, or almost every meal. There is so much research that shows that they way we raise animals for consumption is not only unsustainable but also quite disgusting. If you cut some of the animal protein from your diet you can probably afford to purchase more humane options instead.
Next, eat in season, not only will your produce taste better, but the carbon footprint of that produce will likely be lower. One of the coolest things about this planet in my opinion in the cycle of seasons. Why not embrace that and enjoy what's available when it is naturally occurring.
Third, save your scraps! I personally like to save most of my veggie scraps (onion skins, carrot peelings, etc) in a bag in my freezer. once I have a healthy amount and some picked over chicken bones, I make stock. It's so easy, cost literally nothing and tastes way better than what is available to purchase. For the rest of your produce scraps...Compost is the answer.
And lastly, maintain an almost empty fridge. The idea here is simply to eat your leftovers. That's it. Last year I held a house rule that I didn't cook until the leftovers were gone. I also took care not to over-purchase food that would go bad before I had a chance to eat it all. It saves money, helps the planet and the result is a very clean organized fridge!
The One Sweater Winter
What if you could only buy ONE new sweater this year? I bet you would really think about that purchase, and maybe you could afford to spend a lot more than usual… This one is about ending the addiction to fast fashion.
The truth is, unless you recently gained or lost a good amount of weight, you probably already own everything you need. Seriously. Think about it. If you take a good inventory of your closet I bet, aside from replacing some old worn through socks, you could probably go an entire year without purchasing a single item of clothing.
Fast fashion is a HUGE problem for the planet. So this year, instead of purchasing clothing on a whim why not trying to invest in your wardrobe with just one or two carefully thought out purchases, ideally, ethically created out of natural fibers.
A Year Without Take-Out
For some, no big deal. For others I'm sure this is daunting. The amount of plastic used in packing up just one meal, is often excessive. Can we please just stop? If a year sounds impossible, start with one month, then expand. And if you are absolutely desperate, opt for pizza or something that arrives plastic free.
Another year without target
or amazon, or (insert that other store that always has you buying stuff you don't need.) I swear that China is going to bury us figuratively (and maybe even literally) in crap we don't need.
This was my resolution two years ago and I highly recommend it. Why Target you ask? Because it's just too tempting. They are always on trend and there's too much cute stuff from the fast fashion previously mentioned to cheap decor. But, if you never step foot in the store, you won't know what you're missing. And, there's always drive up for when you really need to stock up on on things like Tylenol and TP.
As for Amazon, I cancelled my prime membership about a year and half ago. And I really haven't missed it. Yes, I still occasionally made a purchase, but it is no longer my go to. And I can still often get free shipping if I lump my purchased together.
So what do you think? Which one would you attempt? Or is there another sustainable resolution you'd like to adopt? I'd love to know. Send me an email or connect with me on Instagram.
Oh, and a word to the wise, sustainable has a double meaning here… good for the planet, but also: achievable! Don't feel the pressure to do it all at once.